Liberty Media ignores criticism: "The region is extremely important to us"

The addition of the Qatar Grand Prix to the Formula One calendar will provide the sport with a huge financial boost. The Losail circuit has signed a ten-year deal with Formula 1 starting in 2023. This does not include the upcoming race in November.

That means that this year there will be two Grands Prix in the Middle East, but not everyone is happy about that. In Bahrain in 2015 Bernie Ecclestone was still critical of the suggestion of a race in Qatar: "I think we have enough races here", was his response.

In the meantime, however, Ecclestone is no longer in control, and Liberty Media wants to continue to expand the calendar. They also welcome the financial injection that races in the Middle East bring, especially after the disappointing figures caused by the coronavirus.

The owners also want to reach new audiences, as former CEO Chase Carey explained when Saudi Arabia was added to the calendar. "The region is extremely important to us, and 70 percent of Saudi Arabia is under the age of 30. We would like to reach new potential fans," his statement read.